Part butcher shop, part innovative restaurant, Foothills Butcher Bar and Kitchen is a true temple for people who appreciate high-quality meat in all its various forms. The vibe inside may be casual and cozy, but the staff breaks new ground with their serious commitment to outstanding butchery and beautiful, delicious dishes from the kitchen.

- The SmokyMountains.com Local Expert Team

If you are looking for confirmation that high-quality butcher shops are coming back into fashion, look no further than Foothills Butcher Bar and Kitchen in West Asheville, NC. The team there prides itself selling meat sourced from ethically-raised animals, as well as using as much of the animal as possible during butchery. When you purchase meat from Foothills you can be confident that you are getting a cut that is more sustainable than your average supermarket fare, and butchered to perfection.

But where the Foothills Butcher Bar and Kitchen location in West Asheville really distinguishes itself is in being so much more than just a great butcher shop. It’s also a neighborhood bar, a casual restaurant, and specialty grocer. Not only that, but it manages to do all of those things remarkably well.

There’s nothing pretentious about Foothills Butcher Bar, and that includes the casual hangout atmosphere. It’s an ideal place to pop in for a drink with friends, and their selection of affordable craft beers and inventive cocktails will make you want to come back a few times to try more options. If you want to sample some great local Asheville beers while you’re in town, grabbing one of Hi-Wire Brewing’s options available at Foothills is not a bad way to go.

The food however, is what’s really turning the locals of Asheville into regulars. The chefs at Foothills are fusing their passion for meat butchery with seasonal, local produce to create simple dishes that are packed with flavor. These are just a few of the exciting, meat-focused plates you can find at Foothills Butcher Bar:

Burger—you know a great butcher shop/casual restaurant has to have a great burger, and this one delivers in spades. It’s seared hard for optimal flavor and caramelization, and it really allows the essence of the pasture-raised beef to shine

Poutine with pork belly—you may find that golden-brown french fries cooked in beef tallow, guajillo chile gravy, and melt-in-your-mouth pork belly is the ultimate combination

Hot dog—definitely not the hot dog of your youth; a frankfurter made from grass-fed beef with a pillowy bun, ketchup, and mustard—what could be more simple and delicious?

Foothills Butcher Bar also acts as a small specialty market, carrying some products you might not be able to find in a typical supermarket. These include small-batch pickles, sauces, high-quality lards, and mustards. You can grab whatever you need to finish your meal while you’re stopping in to pick up your meat or have a drink.

It turns out that Foothills Butcher Bar and Kitchen is exactly what the neighborhood needed: a butcher shop focused on quality and sustainability, a casual eatery with flair, a relaxed bar to grab a drink in, and a specialty market. It just so happens to be all of those at once, and you can’t go wrong no matter which of those reasons you visit for.

Insider Tip: One great option for a small plate to share is to try their meatball of the day. Every day they feature a meatball and accompaniment with unique flavor profiles, all made from meat ground in-house. No matter what style they’re cooking them in that particular day, the meatballs are always beautifully seared, fork tender, and seasoned to perfection.